Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

It Would Be Historically Ironic If Greek S-300s End Up In Ukraine

05/01/2022

Ukraine is again calling on its Western allies, including Greece, to supply it with more Russian-built military hardware. Athens has considerable quantities of Russian equipment Ukraine is familiar with, including BMP-1 tracked infantry fighting vehicles, 9K33 Osa and Tor-M1 short-range and S-300PMU-1 long-range air defense missile systems. If the latter systems ultimately ends up in Ukraine’s arsenal, that would be historically ironic given how Greece came into possession of them in the first p

NATO fighter jets scrambled ‘multiple times’ this week in response to Russian aircraft

05/01/2022

NATO fighter pilots took to the skies several times since Tuesday to track and head off Russian aircraft over the Black and Baltic seas, according to NATO. The Russian planes turned back after each encounter. The alliance announced on Friday that planes took off “multiple times” from April 26-29 to track unidentified planes over the seas before confirming them as Russian aircraft.

Israeli Air Force Fighter Pilot explains how he was able to land his F-15 Baz with One Wing Missing

05/01/2022

One aircraft that perhaps came closest to destroying an Israeli F-15 Baz in ‘combat’ was the venerable McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. These nimble little aircraft have been used by both the US Navy and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) as ‘Red Air’ aggressors, using their agility to humble mightier opponents.

Serbia shows off new Chinese missiles in display of military power

05/01/2022

Serbia on Saturday showed off its new Chinese-made surface-to-air missiles and other military hardware purchased from both Russia and the West, as the country seeks to perform a delicate balancing act over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Members of the public and the media were invited to the display at the Batajnica military airfield near Belgrade, where Chinese and French missiles were lined up beside Airbus helicopters, Chinese-armed drones and Russian MIG-29 jets.

Ukrainian defenders destroy 60 enemy vehicles in JFO area

04/30/2022

The Ukrainian military destroyed 11 Russian tanks and more than 40 units of other equipment in the area of the Joint Forces Operation on Friday, April 29. According to Ukrinform, the press service of the Joint Forces Operation announced this on Facebook. On April 29, in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukrainian Joint Forces successfully repelled 14 attacks by Russian invaders. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 11 Russian tanks, seven artillery systems, 27 armored vehicles, an armored combat vehicl

Armed Overwatch Program Nears Source Selection (UPDATED)

04/30/2022

Despite the U.S military’s shift to great power competition with China and Russia, Special Operations Command says it still needs aviation platforms that can support isolated commandos conducting irregular warfare in remote areas. To fulfill the mission known as “Armed Overwatch,” the command launched an initiative in 2020 to acquire 75 near-production-ready manned, propeller-driven turboprop aircraft.

Building Alliances and Competing with China

04/30/2022

The near-monopoly on remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that the United States once enjoyed is rapidly eroding as other countries build and export their own unmanned aircraft. Their persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike capabilities, as well as lower cost, are huge force multipliers, and countries around the world are recognizing the asymmetric advantages RPAs provide.

China’s Crashed Fighter Plane Unearths ‘Key Secrets’; Are PLAAF Pilots Getting Trained By Russian Instructors?

04/30/2022

A Hongdu JL-10 or L-15 supersonic advanced jet trainer flown by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) crashed in Caolu Village in Yucheng County, Henan Province’s Shangqiu City, on April 23. Both pilots of the aircraft successfully parachuted before the crash and were found in a field, waiting to be rescued. A video taken after the crash that went viral on social media led to suspicions that the instructor pilot in the video was Russian.

Morocco moves to become maintenance hub for F-16s, C-130s

04/30/2022

In an attempt to become a military aircraft maintenance center for neighboring African nations, Morocco has signed a strategic partnership with Belgian firms Sabca and Sabena Aerospace, alongside American giant Lockheed Martin, for the maintenance and support of F-16 and C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Brazil orders more Gripen jets, mulls another large buy

04/30/2022

Brazil is set to order four Saab-Embraer F-39E jets in addition to the 36 already purchased in 2014 under a $4.7 billion contract. The country is also considering ordering another batch of at least 30 F-39E fighters — the local designation of the JAS 39E Gripen NG.

Colombia chooses South Korea’s TA-50, FA-50 as next jet trainers, officials say

04/30/2022

Colombia’s Air Force has chosen a mix of TA-50 and FA-50 Golden Eagles as its next jet trainers, military sources told Defense News. The Air Force plans to acquire at least 20 advanced jet trainers with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities under a project estimated to be worth $600 million.

Piecing Together the NGAD Puzzle

04/30/2022

ontrol of the air is the Air Force’s top core competency, but as its premier fighters age, its ability to perform that mission in the future is increasingly in question. By 2030, the Air Force anticipates its F-22 Raptors will no longer be sufficiently survivable in contested air space, potentially leaving the joint force vulnerable to air attack. To stay well ahead of China’s J-20 and other adversary aircraft, as well as increasingly sophisticated ground-based air defenses around the world.

Navy’s F/A-XX Fighter Will be the ‘Quarterback’ for a Team of Unmanned Aircraft

04/30/2022

The future F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter will operate as the Navy’s “quarterback” for manned and unmanned teaming in future carrier operations, according to the service. Navy officials described the vision for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, meant to expand the range for carrier-based operations, in written testimony to Congress this week.

Test team demonstrates new weapon to sink ships

04/29/2022

Eglin’s Integrated Test Team demonstrated a new low-cost, air-delivered capability for defeating maritime threats in the Gulf of Mexico April 28, 2022. This was proven when an 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle released a modified GBU-31 joint direct attack munition that successfully destroyed a full-scale stationary surface vessel. This was third experiment in the QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.

US Air Force to Assess Thailand’s Readiness to Operate F-35s

04/29/2022

A team from the US Air Force will go to Thailand to evaluate if the southeast Asian nation is ready to operate F-35 fighter jets. The Royal Thai Air Force announced earlier this year that it plans to procure the fifth-generation fighter jets to replace its aging fleet of combat aircraft. Commander-in-chief Napadej Dhupatemiya revealed that the country was considering the purchase of eight to 12 F-35s and using drones to fly alongside them.

With new operations on opposite sides of the world, Chinese military aircraft are showing off growing reach

04/29/2022

China's military has rapidly built one of the world's largest aviation forces, developing increasingly capable aircraft that the US Defense Department has warned are "gradually eroding" the US military's advantage in the air. In recent weeks, China's premier fighter jets and strategically valuable airlifters have reached milestones that underscore Beijing's increasing focus on and investment in military aviation.

Future NGAD fighter jets could cost ‘hundreds of millions’ apiece

04/29/2022

The U.S. Air Force’s secretive Next Generation Air Dominance future fighter program could be the most expensive aircraft program in history, with each piloted, sixth-generation aircraft expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. When asked about the price tag for NGAD during a Wednesday appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall did not specify exactly how much an individual aircraft could cost.

Boeing Unveils First T-7A Red Hawk Training Jet For The Air Force

04/29/2022

Boeing has rolled out the first T-7A Red Hawk built for the U.S. Air Force under the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program. These jets are set to be the service’s first new advanced jet trainers since the T-38 Talon, which first took to the air more than 60 years ago. Significantly, this particular jet is the first true T-7A, the previous two aircraft being company demonstrators that were not necessarily representative of the final configuration.

Germany to send anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine in policy shift

04/28/2022

The German government has announced that it is to send a fleet of around 50 anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, as it attempts to offset criticism that it has been too slow to provide military equipment to the war-torn country.

The US left $7 billion of military gear - including 78 aircraft, 12,000 Humvees and thousands of air-to-ground weapons - in Afghanistan after Biden's chaotic 2021 withdrawal, according to Pentagon report

04/28/2022

A Pentagon report reveals that billions of dollars in weapons and military equipment transferred to the Afghan government was left behind in Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country. In all, about $7 billion worth of hardware remained in the country after the Taliban seized control, according to the report prepared for Congress which was obtained by CNN.

Navy Will Endure Strike Fighter Gaps Until 2031, Lawmakers Say

04/28/2022

Despite recent projections that it would eliminate strike fighter gaps in the next three years, the Navy now won’t have enough jets to train and deploy efficiently until 2031, two lawmakers said today. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), the top lawmakers on the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee, disclosed the new timeline during the panel’s hearing today.

At defence talks in Germany, U.S. says world galvanized against Russia's invasion

04/27/2022

The United States said the world was galvanized against Russia's two-month-old invasion of Ukraine as it hosted more than 40 countries for defence talks in Germany that sought to speed and synchronize the delivery of arms to Kyiv. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hosted the event at Ramstein Air Base following a trip to Kyiv where he pledged additional military support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's war effort, which is at a crossroads.

China cements its place as Pakistan’s largest supplier of major arms: Report

04/27/2022

China, between 2017 and 2021, has cemented its place as Pakistan’s largest supplier of major arms, including fighter aircraft, warships, submarines and missiles, data compiled by an independent institute focusing on arms transfers and conflict said. Between 2017 and 2021, Beijing met 72% of Islamabad’s demand for major arms, data from Sweden’s Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published in March showed.

One-third of F-35s could be delivered before operational testing is complete

04/26/2022

The costs of major upgrades to the F-35 fighter are continuing to rise, and repeated delays on critical simulation tests and on a full-rate production decision are increasing the risk the Defense Department buys faulty jets that need to be fixed, a new Government Accountability Office report said. In Monday’s report, GAO found that the cost of the F-35's Block 4 modernization effort grew to $15.1 billion in 2021, $741 million more than the estimated cost in 2020.

Marine Corps declares its heavy lift helicopter operational

04/26/2022

The U.S. Marine Corps this month declared its new heavy lift helicopter operational, following the completion of test, training and sustainment requirements. Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen. Mark Wise on April 22 determined the Sikorsky-made CH-53K King Stallion had achieved initial operational capability. The service announced the milestone April 25.